CRATE CONTENTS
 

hey, i know this is off the subject, but i need some suggestions on the crate that we ship our robot in-
-material to make it out of and basic designs(i know the demisions)
-organization of the inside (shelf, boxes of parts, robot protection?)

:confused:

Re: CRATE CONTENTS
 

For the crate, you can just make it out of wood with your school name, etc. spraypainted or written on the sides. Also, I don't think you really need boxes of parts or shelves in the crate since you'll be bringing that to the competition with you instead of shipping it. As for robot protection...Robot protection? What's that? :)

Last year, we made ours out of wood, and was the maximum dimensions.

The two sides folded out for display space, the front was removable and turned into a table, the bottom came out for more storage of small parts, and we had locking drawers and some extra shelfs on the fixed back wall.
You don't really have to put all the storage in, but it was easier for us than bringing it seperatly to the comps.

We got a team award for the design:D

oops, didn't see the design part...
well ours was basically six pieces of wood cut out with removable sides that can fold out to take the robot out. also, make sure you do a good job attaching the pieces and then making it shiny, smooth, and unblistery :) (a part of the team spent a weekend doing that because it takes a while for it to dry)

thanks for the help but-

Did you re-enforce the side with 2x4's or just use plywood for them???

Our team is actually considering using extruded aluminum and lexan... turning it into a display case as well... and since our bot is made out of the same stuff, it's gonna look tiiiiiiight.
yay! three weeks!

Ooooo...Jim likey...


Well, our school, Dillard High, shares its facilities with two magnet programs....The Tech magnet and teh Arts Magent. We basically build a big plywood box (Must change to metal....) and give it a nice paint job. We get some art students to sketch up some pics and then we all laugh as the tech students (myself included) attempt to paint a box...its not a pretty site...especially in a 105 degree room which houses the air conditioning equipment... (it looks like somone forgot to put a vent IN that room...)

hey dude from florida--

I don't want to hear about you Air conditioning problems-- it is 12 degrees F here now and we will have a wind chill of -25 in the morning---- so shut up
:)

Lesse... today working on the robot we moved outside the garage, 'cause it was sunny and 70 degrees, it was sooo nice. We got more work done than ever before... but at least you guys can throw a snowball occasionally...

We can throw the occasional snowball here, only to have our hands nearly freeze off. Ever seen commericals where a little kid gets his full outfit of snow gear on and says "mom, i have to pee".....that happens!

Ha...it's not cold out. It's like 0F out or something...I still don't need a coat. Driving while shivering uncontrollably is hard...especially when the windshield refreezes and the transmission won't shift. Yay for cold!

Anyways, to get back on topic...
We use plywood and 2x4's for ours, I believe. It's not very fancy but it works. We made a fancy little sign for the side. It's very pretty. Screw paint :) I recommend using the max. crate size...since there's not much of a point to making a smaller one.

We ship the robot on foam so the wheels are off the ground and so it can't slide easily. I think we put a layer of bubble wrap around it to ease any bumping.

Wow is it really that cold? It's starting to warm up around here.

I just checked the thermometer...0F :) I thought I was exagerating. Hehe.

Okay....back to the crate
 

Our crate builders made a frame of 2 x 4's first, then screwed the plywood onto them. They are using different latches and hasps so that we can use it as a display if we choose to. You could also use aluminum angle iron....(the kind with holes drilled in) to support the plywood, but 2 x 4's will give better support. Remember that you must place 4 x 4's under the crate, at least 28 inches apart for the forklift to be able to move it around. Those pieces are heavy too.

You need to keep a check on the weight of the crate, because the drayage company will REALLY STICK IT TO YOU if you are overweight. See the information in the shipping and administration section of the manual. You should make sure that your crate is under 200 lbs. Remember that your robot will be 130 or less, and you must also ship your controls and battery in the crate as well. even your packing material will have weight.
Don't go over 400 lbs total.

We have two seasons here, 1.) Hot and Humid 2.) Hotter and still humid

I hate this state...as soon as I can I'm moving

cold
 

hey i guess i can't complain when we get 2 hour deleys from school because the elementry school kids would freeze if they had to stand at the bus stop in that wind

By the way - we have had 2 delays today and tomorrow!!!!!

:p

Does anyone have drawings (or at least photos) of crates such as the one described in the first part of this thread? We have a volunteer to build our crate for us and I'd love to have one versatile enough to be our pit workbench and storage area if we can build that into it.

BTW:
Metro Phoenix forecast
Today
H: 75
L: 52
A weak low pressure trough will pass over leaving some clouds for Thursday and keeping highs from jumping into to the upper 70's. The weekend looks fine with above normal highs.
Fri H: 76 L: 50
Sat H: 75 L: 51
Sun H: 75 L: 50
Mon H: 74 L: 50
Tue H: 73 L: 49
Wed H: 73 L: 47
hehe!

I think as much effort goes into designing the crate as designing the robot. It's going to be the craziest crate you've ever seen, or so I've heard.

Weather wussies.....its nice and warm up here...


TORONTO

18 Hour Forecast:

Evening
FLURRIES
-11°

Overnight
PARTLY CLOUDY
-20°

Morning
CLOUDY PERIODS
-15°

Extended Forecast:


Friday
CLOUDY PERIODS
LO/HI
-20/-10°

Saturday
PARTLY CLOUDY
LO/HI
-11/-4°

Sunday
SNOW
LO/HI
-9/-7°

As for the crate, we just used plywood last year, and it only held the bot.

This year, since we're going to more 'exotic' locations, we're building to max size (4x4x6), and puting the bot, tools, etc in it. Gonna build some shelving in for sure, might make it a table as well (since the tables we get at the comps are crap-tacular).

And as far as I know, we're just gonna be using plywood again. Might re-enforce it with some spare extruded aluminum. Maybe we will have some Lexan left over....Maybe we can put in some viewing portals....

support
 

What type of geometry did you all use to support the plywood sides (i.e. Crosses like on the sides of barns; or strait pieces along sides or up and down)
- how did you seal it so that it would stay shut and so you could open it easily

Thanks

As for geometry, just sturdy wood was support enough for us last year. All we did was put a smaller, inset rectangle of 2*2 on the plywood sides that opened, and they fit snugly inside of the larger 4*4 frame.

As for sealing, all that we needed last year was a simple hinge-locky-thingy that was on each of our movable sides.

Make a crate that just holds all your parts, if you can, try doing it better than everyone elses.



OT: Temperature Wind Chill -35F In Minnesota.

400 LBS!!!!!!!!!
 

DO NOT! DO NOT GO OVER 400LBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It will coast you BIG time at the Event!
This is the voice of experience (all BAD, can you say $$$$$$$)
FEDEX has a limit,
Freeman decorating charges by the POUND, at each Event!
we are going for 375lb

KEEP IT LIGHT!
Geo.
P.S. See below.

huh
 

will the compitition charge you if you are over or just the shipping company

and i thought it was 300lbs

Ben:
Its the draige CO. and I think it was .79 cents a pound!
300lb ?? i have to look that up, thanks!
Geo.

Nope. 400 lbs Admid, sec.12.1
Pack light,
Geo.